Electrolytic cell



A4. V. DAVIS.

ELECTROLYTIC CELL.

`PPLlyc/TIQN FILED JUNE 41. 1921-.

Patented Ag. 15, 1922.

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A. V. DAVIS.

ELECTROLYTIC CELL.

APPLICA-Hun FILED JUNE 7.1921.

1,425,752.. Patented Alug. 15, 1922,

4 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

A'. V. DAViS.

ELECTROLAYTI-C OE'LL.

' APPLICATION FILEDYJUNE 7. 1921.

Paterited Ag. 15, y192.2'.

45Min-SHEET 3.

A. v@ DAVIS,

ELEcmLmc CELL.

PPLICAHQNl FLED JUNE 7, I|921- lAQQfQ, l Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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To @ZZ whom t may concer/'n- ALFRED VICTOR DAVIS, or ELKTON, MARYLAND,

specification. of teagsratent. `1 Patented. Augg1551922", 'o

' Apniivcation lined Jane 7, 19ml s'erii'N'o. 475,675.

Be it known that l, ALFRED Vieron Davis.,

a. citizen of the United States, residing` at Elkton, in the county of Cecil and Statehof -l/Iaryland, have invented certain new and` useful Improvements in Electrolytic Cells,

of which the following` is afspecitic'atioi'iT This invention relates to certain improve'- nl'ents 1n lelectrolytic cells.

ordinary chlorine cell ,Causes the electrolyte to become impoverished of vsalti,-whereupon' the electrolysis `takes place on, water with the result that oXv en is Ofivengon'at 'the J t; M

.anode ywhich attacks the latter anldfcauses its lrapid deterioration. Moreover, `when the" electrolytic action is permitted `to take .place upon brine which is' spent or not `"fully saturated, a greater voltageis required to'y torce thenecessary Vvamperage through the electrolyte than whenv the latter'is fully Asaturated and besides the electric energy 'that'iscon?Jv sumed in causingl `the electrolysisl the cell is greatly lowered. Y

wateris wasted "so that the eiiciency ofthevlt is an objectA of the` ipresent inventiom.

therefore, vto providewa cellin which the electrolyte will be maintained 'at all timesI at ypractically a point of saturation. y This is accomplished in the particular embodi-Qvr ment of the invention chosen for illustration by providing the cell with an electrolytey o l o numberlot cells .required in' the ,plantl'ies'f in well communicating at its lower endwith the space between the anode and cathode, a -feed tube extending into the well to near the bottom thereof for 'conducting fresh brine; into the well underthe control of a float, The;

valve to mix` with `the spent brine. electrolytic action which -takes place in the in a constant circulation of the electrolyte with provision for automatically supplyingresh brine thereto inorder tomaintain the solution constantly at a point of substantial saturation. v l

ln the usual type ot chlorine cell, par# cathode, the space between these confront-'- `The Iconstant f ,electrolytic action which takes place in the ing walls i constituting 4the anode which the, electrolytic action" takes' place.

`Thus .substantially?,onlyf the Outer' facesA of the anode are electricallya'ctivei 'Ina coini inercialpsize chlorine fcell 'the carbon' or graphite anode is veryfexpensive aI'idL-inav plant utilizingvanumber of cellsitfis PQtaIit that mexmul; Qutpiltlbe, obtained. trom'each individual- 'cell in' order thatift-hel; total number lof cells and .hence the vto alv aminimum. ltghasalready been V pointed out. -thatqone object ofthe"inventionjfis yto prevent the rapidl deiitructioi`-1of' 'the ,anodey byinaintaininglthe electrolyte inthe.l ll in. a constant statev of substantial satura Another object oftheinventionis tQPr e a Cell in whicliftlie anode'arid cathodefare" constructed Aand, arranged `thaty:substantially n the entire anode surfacesfwillbe electrically active whereby thel output of, the vcell be` o y much/l` greater :thanith'atyof 'afl cell having'anv` v anode otsim-ila'r size butin which onlyjne 'tace of the anode is electrically active.` rlhis 80 i i. v the invention shown inthe drawings'fbyfpro 1 object' is accomplished in the enibodilentot vidinga substantially dS-,shaped anode Jhaving' its opposite'taces confronted by si1ni' ylar-ly shaped cathodesj 'A further advantage; 'f

yot increasing y the output `of the individual' readily separable and removable from the anodevchamber between the anode and cath@v ode causes an upward iiow of `'electrolyte in this chamber and a consequent downward;y flow in the electrolyte well so that there is a sort o'lf"therrnosiplionic `action resulting base' or'cleaning, purposes wi 'th'0ut vrem'o`v ing or disturbing the anode which isfalso supported on the base' whereby'thefcell may be taken apartftorcleaning even whenthe anodeis almost completelylused up. A y

These and such other objects as inay here' inafter a'ppear'agre attained'by the novel con` struction, combination land arrangementfof parts tobe hereinafter specifically described` ioo V,Reference will now be had to thfefaclcom-y `1.05

.panying'drawings formingfa'partl specification, wherein'z"y l, ,f o Y, v

. Figure`4 l represents"A a" lside.elevation etz-an elcctrolyticfcellembodying my invention;

Figure 2is a plan view tlierelo'flr I Tf 1165 `j` number of anodes requiredmaybeQlept fat g Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure l is a section on the line l-e of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the.

, away.

vFigure 10 is ,a bottom plan View of the part shown in Figure'9.

Figure 11 is a plan View of the anode, and Figure 12 isa perspective view 'of' one of the electrolyte wells.

numerall` indicates the base ofthe cell whichmay be made of concrete or other inert material. The base is provided' on its upper' surface with a narrow rib 2 and numerous spaced projections 3, the rib 2 and projections 3 being preferably of the same ymaterial as` the baise and integraltherewith. y

, rlhe sectional cell body and the anode therebetween are supported upon the rib 2 and projections 3.. rlhe cell body-is made in twosimilar sections, each having a side wall l and endv walls 5, the sections when fitted together with their end walls abutting formying an oblongV rectangularstructure.

The sidey and end walls of each section are formed of sheet metal and provided at their upper and` lower edges with narrowY in- ,turned lianges 6 and 7. are also provided with vertical inturned The end 'walls 5 flanges l8. Extendiiig inwardly from and preferably integral with and of substantially the same width as the upper and lower flanges G and 7 are the U-shaped inem- 50Y bers') and 10, one directly over the other and arranged near one end of the section.

Fitting within the rectangular openings between the U-shaped members 9 and l() and the flanges 6 and 7 is anelectrolyte rwell 11.y The plane of the lower lil-shaped member v10 is slightly above that of the lower flange 7 andl the well 11 is provided at its lower end with an out-turned flange 12 upon which the lower U-shaped member- 10 rests, the lower surface of the fiange 12 being flush with the lower surface of the flange 7. The well is made of any material suitable for withstanding the electrolyte, such as con! crete or stoneware. V

Secured to the edges of the flanges 6, 7 and iframes 8 and the U-shaped members 9 and 10 is the cathode 13 consisting of suitable foraminous material such as slotted iron plates of known construction orwire gauze, as illustrated; Covering the inner face of the cathode is the diaphragm 141A consisting of suitable material such as asbestos paper. The space between the outer face of the cathode and the side and end walls l and 5 and between the cathode and the end walls and Vinner side wall of vthe well forms the j 'ing grooved for receiving and supporting Referring to the drawings, the reference The vtop section is also provided at its lower end with an out-turned peripheral flange 20. rlhe cover member 19 is provided with suitable openings to permit the passage of the upright carbon or graphite bars 21 attached to the anode and to the upper ends ofwhich the positive lead wires of the circuit may be connected by means of a suitable bus bar. Openings are also provided in the cover member to receive'the feed tubes 22 for supplying fresh brine to the electrolyte wells and the nipplell to which the conduit 241, is attached for conducting away the chlorine gas collected in the free-v board section. The free-board section on the interior thereof is provided with bridge l iso col

i Lasarte 1 thecell at its upper and lower ends, and

means for supplying anelectrolyte solution vrto said cell at a point adjacent the lower end of said chamber and automatically maintaining the level thereof above the upper end of said chamber as the electrolyti'c action takes place in said chamber, whereby to produce a thermo-siphonic circulation of the electrolyte upwardly in' said chamber and downwardly in said cell and to mainitain the electrolyte in said cell at a point i of substantial saturation.

1n an electrolytic cell, an anode having a plurality of active surfaces, and a cathode so formed and arranged as to surround the anode in equi-spaced relation to all the surfaces thereof, whereby said surfaces will be equally electro-active in operation.

l., .ln an electrolytic cell, an anode having a plurality of transversely extending portions and a plurality of longitudinally extending portions, and a cathode extending about the several portions of the anodev aforementioned whereby to form a rela tively narrow'and continuous chamber for ythe anolyte extending completely around the anode on all sides, all surfaces of the anode exposed to the electrolyte equally electro-active.

'5. An electrolytic cell comprising an anode of Zigfzag cross-section and a cathode of similar crosssection on each side thereof in spaced relation thereto.

6. An electrolytlc cell comprising` an anode of substantially Sii-shape in cross-section and a 'cathode of similar crosssection on each side thereof in spaced relation thereto.

7. An electrolytic cell comprising an anode and a cathode arranged on opposite sides thereof in spacedrelatlon thereto andan electrolyte well communicating at itsupper and lower ends with the upper and lower ends of the chambers on the opposite-sides of the anode.

8. An electrolytic cell comprising an lanode and a cathode arranged on opposite sides thereof in spaced relation thereto, an elec1 trolyte well communicating at its upper and lower ends with the upper and lower ends of the anode chambers on the opposite sides of the anode, and means for supplying an electrolyte solution to said well at a oint adjacent its lower 'end and automatically maintaining the level thereof above the upper ends of said welland anode chambers as the electrolytic action taires place insaid chambers, whereby to produce a thermosiphonic circulationof the electrolyte upwardly in said chambers and downwardly in said' well and to maintain the electrolyte in said cell at a point of substantial saturation.

thereby rendering y 9. en electrolytic `cell comprising a ree tangular cell body, a substantially iii-shaped anode arranged in said cell body, a similarly shaped cathode arranged on each sideof said anode and in spaced relation thereto, each cathode including between a portion thereof and the corresponding side of said cell body a substantially rectangular space andan electrolyte well arranged in each of the spaces so formed and communicatingk at its upper and lower ends with the upper and lower ends ofthe chambers on opposite sides of the` anode. t

l0. An electrolytic cell comprising a rectangular ycell body., the side and end walls ofsaid bod i beingprovided at their upper and lower edges vwith narrow inturned flanges, U-shaped members extending inwardly from the upper and lower flanges of each side wall, jsai'd, upper, and lower Ll-shapedmembers of each sidewall being arranged one directly over the other, and the Ushaped members of 'one side wall being arranged near one end ofthe cell body and thoseof the otherv side wall near the oppositeend thereof, a cathode attached to theedges of the inturned flanges on the end walls of the Cell body and to the edges of the flanges on the side walls lbetween the U-shaped members and the ends of the side walls and to members, said cathode enclosing a substantially iis-shaped channel in said cell body, an anode arranged in said channel with its side walls spaced from said cathode, and an electrolyte well -iitting in the rectangular space enclosed between the Ushaped members of each side wall and said side wall, said wells communicating at their upper and lower ends withthe upper and lower ends of Lthe chambers on opposite sides of the anode. f I

11. An electrolytic cell comprising a base, acell body supported onv said base `and formed inA two sections, each comprising a cathode member, and an anode supported on the base with the cathode members confronting and spaced from the opposite sides thereof` the sections of the cell body being separable from thebase by a lateral movement without removing or disturbing the anode.

12. .An electrolytic cell comprising a base,l

a cell body supported on said base and formed in two sectio-nseach comprising a cathode member, an anode supported on the base with the cathode members confronting and spaced from the opposite sides thereof, and a top the top of the cell body, said free-board sectionvand cell body Vsections being removable for cleaning the cell withoutv removing or disturbing the anode. Y

13. An electrolytic cell comprising a horizontal base, a vertical cell bodysupported the inner edges of theUfshaped n orv free-board sectionmounted on' lower ends of the anode "the cell by a lateral movement l ing edges of said and spaced from the on said base and divided verticallyv into two ode memberand an electrolyte well, and an anode supported tion thereto with the cathode members confronting and spaced from the opposite sides thereof, said wells communicating -at'their upper and lowerend's withthe upper and chambers on opposite sides of the anode, and said sections being separable from said base for cleaning without removingor disturbing the anode. j'

14. An electrolytic cell comprising' a base,

Y la cell body mounted on said base and divided vertically linto two lengitudinal sections each comprisinga cathode memberand-a porous diaphragm coveringthe` active face of the cathodemember and overlapped upon the upperand lower and vertical dividsection, an anode supported on said base in spaced relation thereto with the cathode members confronting board section mounted on the top of the cell body.v means for securing the sections of the cell body firmly together,and means cooperating with the'base and free-board section to clamp the cell body firmly therebetween, the overlapped margins of the diapragm forming pressure tight joints between the vertical dividing edgesof the cell body and between the lower edge thereof and the base and between thek upper edge thereof and the free-board section.

15. An electrolytic cell comprising abase, an oblong rectangular cell body mounted on said base and having a vertical channel therein, S-shaped in cross-section and extending from top to bottom thereof, said channel extending transversely across said cell body adjacent and parallel to one end wall thereof, then adjacent and parallel to a side wall thereof to about the middle ofv the cell body, then transversely across the cell body, then adjacent and parallel to the opposite side wall thereof to the opposite end of the cell and then across kthe cell adj acent said end, a cathodev member forming the side and end walls of said channel, and an anode disposed .centrally in said channel.

16. An electrolytic cell comprising a horizontal base, a vertical cell ony said base and divided vertically into two longitudinal sections each comprising 'a cathode member 'and an electrolyte well, an anode supported on said base in spaced relation thereto with the cathode members .confronting and spaced from the opposite4 sides on said base in spaced rela-v f for electrolyte solution extending vinto each"y sides thereof, av free' `section and spaced therefrom toform aconbody supported va ynegative terminal and thereof, lsaid wells communicating t .at theirupper and lower ends with the upp-erand lowerends ofthe anode chambers on oppof j site sides of the anode, a freeboardsectio'n supported on said cell body, and a feed tube well through the top of said free-,board sectioli andterminating near the bottom ofthe we r 1 17. An electrolytic ycell comprisinga base, a cell body supported on said base kand comprising side and end metal, said cell body being dividedv vertically into two longitudinal sections each compris ing a cathode 'member spaced from 'the side and end walls ofthe section to form a cath-` ode chamber therebetween, anV electrolyte well interposed vbetween a portion of thecathode member andthe side wall of eachl section and spaced therefr-oml to forma con? tinuation of the cathode chamber about they walls ofthe well, and an anode supported uponsaid base in spaced relation thereto with the l,cathode lmembers sections being sepa walls formed of sheet j of the two sece- Ations confronting and spaced from the op-v j .85 cleaning by alat-.

18. Anelectrolytic'cell comprising a base, i

a cell body supported on said base and-com-` prising side and end walls formed ofsheet metal, said cell body being divided vertically into two longitudinal sections each comprisinga cathode member spaced from the sidey f l and end walls of the section to form a cath-y yodeI chamber therebetween, an electrolyte well interposed between a portion'of the cathode memberand the side wall ofeach tinuation of the4 cathode` chamber about the walls of the well,an anode supported on said base in spaced relation thereto with thev cathode members ofy the two sections con-,

fronting and spaced from `the opposite sides` 105 thereof, current conducting members extend# ing vertically from said anode, a freek-board section supported ing openings for the passageof said conductf ing members, and a feedtube for electrol y solution yextending `into each, well through `the top of said free-board section and terminating near the bottom of the well, each' on saidfcell body andh'ave section of said cell bodybeing provided with j an outlet for cell` efliuent and an outlet for hydrogen gas.

, In testimony whereofI afiiX mysignature...l j

ALFRED vIoToR Davis. 

